#005 - 26 May 2024

SORA'S NEWSLETTER

Hey friends,

I hope you are doing well.

This month has been tough mentally, so I took some time away from publishing content.

Instead I've been focusing on my mental health and my freelance business.

3 Lessons

1. Working all the time is bad for your brain

I'm most creative when I don't try to create.

It's when I go for walks, lift weights at the gym, or am about to sleep – I'm an idea machine!

The ideas don't stop pouring.

I forget this a lot though.

That it's better to rest than to constantly work my brain.

2. If you feel overwhelmed, change your environment

I've been feeling overwhelmed working from home recently.

Everything on my desk felt distracting even though my desk is clean and tidy.

Working at my desk is one my favorite things to do.

It's why I've been trying to build a desk setup I enjoy working at .

However, the number of thoughts that flow into my brain in a minute is overwhelming.

I've only been noticing this recently and have found that I'm unable to do a thing.

So last week, for three days straight, I worked from a library near home.

I got to focus on the work in front of me and got more done than sitting at my desk at home overthinking.

3. If you're contemplating for too long, default to "no"

I recently found that if I'm hesitating whether I pursue something or not, I probably don't want it as much as I think I do.

Even though I've been practicing making decisions faster...

I still struggle to make quick decisions.

So with the pain of spending hours, and sometimes days contemplating...

I've decided most of my answers should be a "no" by default.

It's only if:

• I want it so bad,
• I would be stupid to say no,
• I truly would be missing out on something I care about, or
• It's a great opportunity

AND I have the time to commit...

I say "yes".

This way, I avoid thinking of which answer to pick, because I already have "no" as a default.

Save time.

Default to no.

Resource

I recently finished reading The Dip by Seth Godin.

It's a short and quick read, with every page being super valuable.

I highly recommend the book if you're on the fence about whether you quit your current pursuits or stick to them.

I'm sure this applies to every aspect of our lives, and not just our jobs or running a business.

Question

Are you taking the time to do things outside your work or craft that recharge you?

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You can reply to this email and share your thoughts, lessons, or anything that inspired you this week.

Your friend,

Sora